Operation Tiger And The Ghost Of 2022: Why Uddhav Thackeray Is Battling Fresh Defection Fears
Operation Tiger And The Ghost Of 2022: Why Uddhav Thackeray Is Battling Fresh Defection Fears Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 10:07 IST In
Operation Tiger And The Ghost Of 2022: Why Uddhav Thackeray Is Battling Fresh Defection Fears Published By, Last Updated: June 16, 2026, 10:07 IST In June 2022, Eknath Shinde led one of the biggest rebellions in Maharashtra politics when he walked away with majority of Shiv Sena MLAs, bringing down Uddhav's government Rapid Read Because the Shiv Sena has already experienced a devastating split once, even rumours of a fresh rebellion are enough to trigger alarm within the organisation. (AI-Generated Image) It seems to be the season of rebellions. While the political spotlight remains fixed on the dramatic exodus of Trinamool Congress MPs to the NCPI in Bengal, Maharashtra has been gripped by speculation of another possible rebellion. This time, the focus is on Shiv Sena (UBT), where rumours of an alleged ‘Operation Tiger’ have triggered fears that some of Uddhav Thackeray’s MPs could cross over to the rival Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. The buzz became serious enough for Uddhav Thackeray to convene a meeting of all nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs at Matoshree, his Mumbai residence, in an attempt to assess the party’s strength and dispel rumours of an impending split. However, the meeting itself soon became fodder for rumour mills in the state. What Is ‘Operation Tiger’? Simply put, the phrase is increasingly being used in Maharashtra’s political circles to describe an alleged effort by the Shinde-led Shiv Sena to engineer defections from the Uddhav camp. Reports have suggested that several Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs have been in contact with leaders from the Shinde faction and that discussions have taken place in Delhi in recent weeks.
ALSO READ | MNS Leader Backs Raj-Uddhav Reunion As ‘Operation Tiger’ Chatter Grows The speculation gained momentum after Union Minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Jadhav claimed that all Sena (UBT) MPs were in touch with Eknath Shinde. Reports also surfaced of confidential meetings involving some MPs from the Thackeray camp. The Shiv Sena led by Shinde, however, has publicly denied any attempt to break rival parties, dismissing talk of ‘Operation Tiger’ as political speculation. On Tuesday, Sena leader Shaina NC said: “We have no interest in breaking any party. Everyone has seen the popularity of our leader, Eknath Shinde, because he is loyal to the common people and works at the grassroots level. He doesn’t work from home, and the way people are coming and joining the Shiv Sena every day, one thing is clear from that: there is an atmosphere of progress across Maharashtra. So, there is no Operation Tiger, but rather Operation Progress." Why Is Uddhav Worried? Uddhav is no stranger to rebellions. In June 2022, Shinde led one of the biggest rebellions in Maharashtra politics when he walked away with the majority of Shiv Sena MLAs, bringing down the government headed by Uddhav Thackeray. The revolt eventually split the Shiv Sena into two rival factions and led to a prolonged legal and political battle over the party name and symbol. The Election Commission later recognised the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and allotted it the party’s traditional bow-and-arrow symbol, leaving Uddhav’s camp to operate as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Because the party has already experienced a devastating split once, even rumours of a fresh rebellion are enough to trigger alarm within the organisation.
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